recently switched to small rat F/T

[Kslab]

I've had Jasper for 6 months and she has always struck at the F/T mice. i just switched 3 weeks ago to F/T small rats and every time i dangle the rat she will sniff at it. for like 5 mins at least. till the point i cant hold it anymore and just drop it close to her. she will eventually eat it. Her hides have also recently been upgraded since she outgrew her last ones. Other than that the temps and humidity haven't changed. 90 hot spot 75 ambient and 50% humidty... WHATS GOING ON???

[KMG]

If she eats it what is the issue?

Some snakes will just swallow f/t prey instead of rekilling dead food first. If she's eating your good.

Unless my bloods are super hungry they never strike. Just slowly inspect it and then swallow.

[Marrissa]

"If it ain't broke don't fix it." If she eats that works. I have two from the same breeder that hit their F/T rats hard. My newest one is supposed to too (won't know till I get back in CA). I have another that stubbornly refuses all F/T and the other will 9/10 out of take F/T after a really good zombie dance. She even then won't strike, just nose it then swallow. If they eat, that's all I care about. Man I wish she'd eat it if I left it there. I get the whole hand tired and patience thing you said.

[Kslab]

What confuses me is that she would always take the mice and "kill" them and now she just looks/sniffs at it... Also i tried feeding tonight same thing happened only she went into the cold hide and hasn't came out to eat it?

[KMG]

If it never eats tonight the following might apply.

Make sure your presenting the prey warm enough. Many snakes want/need the prey to mirror living body temps to take it. I have two snakes that I always feed first because of this. If the prey is to cool they ignore it.

I use warm water for mine. Warm them longer than you did the mice.

[Neal]

It's just really going to depend on your snakes feeding response.

If they're an aggressive feeder then they'll strike and coil, but otherwise they're usually very chill when eating. At any time though they can decide to do one or the other so I wouldn't worry about it.

[jxl]

I guess they sometimes strike and other times just not. Mine was striking on his prey constantly till one day he just stopped. OK. I figured he knew the prey was already dead and just wasn't bothered to kill them any more. That lasted for months, until one fine day he struck again and constricted the rat. Go figure. Now he strikes again at his rats

I just wouldn't worry how the prey is eaten till the snake eats its scheduled meal